Snow
by KittyAttack
Summary: A winter break that they will never forget. Rated for language and some romance later on. Toyomi fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Hey Hey Hey! My first Azumanga Daioh FanFic! I made a Rosario Vampire fan fic, but I like Azu so much better now. XD Anyways, behold! NUMBER ONE OUT THERE!

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it. If I did, it would have gone long more. All belong to original creator. I DO OWN THE TITLE THOUGH!

**CHAPTER ONE: A COLD NIGHT**

'_Next up, watch as a man falls into a lava-'_ The T.V set clicked off as Tomo Takino hit the power button and fell back on her bed, sighing. She watched as the soft wind blew falling snow against her window, creating small crystals. She turned her gaze back to her room.

Piles of clothes, books, toys, schoolwork, and other assorted things lay scattered across the floor, some making piles, others making sure there was no room to walk. Blinking boredly, she stood back up and ran down the stairs, throwing on her coat and slipping into her shoes. She opened the front door, immediately being blasted by cold air, which caused her eyes to water.

"Dad! I'm heading over to Yomi's, k?" She called over her shoulder, stepping outside and shutting the door quickly. She was referring to her best friend from middle school, Koyomi Mizuhara. A muffled reply was heard from behind the door, then Tomo set off, clutching her jacket closer to her as the snow swirled around her. She puffed warm air into her hands before stuffing them in her pockets. She walked steadily down the road; Yomi only lived a couple blocks away. Tomo shivered, wrapping her arms around herself and beginning to run., while thinking about her friendship with Yomi. It all started back in first grade…

"_**Hey look! It's the freak!"**_

"_**Four eyes!"**_

"_**Geek!" **__Several voices drifted up to Tomo, perched on a tree branch, brooding. Glancing down though thick leaves, she noticed three boys approaching a be speckled brunette, sneers plastering their faces. A light bulb clicked somewhere in her head as she realized them as the class bullies, and the girl as Koyomi Mizuhara. _

_The bigger one, the leader, snarled something and snatched her glasses off her face. Koyomi let out a small whimper, reaching out to grab it, only to be slapped by one of the leader's followers. Tomo finally decided to act when Koyomi began to cry. With a huff, she leapt from the tree branch, no less of a wildcat as she is now. On her descent, she snatched the glasses from his hand. Letting out a short laugh, she handed them back to Koyomi. _

"_**Hey look Kyle, it's the other freak!"**__ One of the followers laughed. The leader, now identified as Kyle, laughed._

"_**So it is Justin, so it is. What should I do with it?"**__ He questioned, venom dripping in his words._

"_**Back off. She's my friend."**__ The wildcat growled, locking eyes with Kyle. Koyomi wasn't REALLY her friend. She barely knew the girl. She just said anything to back Kyle off._

"_**Oh really now? The wildcat and the mouse? FRIENDS?" **__Justin doubled over in laughter, before adding, __**"Impossible. I say you beat her Kyle!" **__Unable to continue composing himself, he fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. _

"_**I'm warning you. BACK. OFF." **__She yelled, glaring defiantly at them._

" _**And what exactly are you going to do about it, freak?"**__ Tomo glared at them for a moment longer, before a smirk replaced it._

"_**THIS!" **__She hollered, thrusting her fist from behind her back. It connected with Kyle's face, a sickening crunching sound noticeable. She turned to his companions and slowly wound her fist back up. They quickly got the point, and picking up and dragging their fallen leader, rushed off. Tomo laughed, brushing off her hands, before turning to Koyomi._

"_**Hey there. You ok?"**__ She asked calmly, helping the girl up. She nodded, wiping away her tears._

"_**Than-Thank you for hel-helping me."**__ She stammered, bowing shyly. Tomo giggled, patting her rather harshly on the back._

"_**Don't worry about it. It's ok. And now, your going to be my new best friend, and I'll call you Yomi, cuz it's so much easier! By the way, my name is Tomo Takino." **__She announced, her even-hyperactive self kicking in. Yomi just nodded, and over the course of next days, they became indeed best friends. Tomo grew yet more hyper, if possible, and Yomi began to lose her shyness…._

Tomo shivered, snapping out of her thoughts. Without realizing it, she must have stopped, standing under a street lamp. A pile of snow lay at her feet, giving her a clue that she had been out for a while. The wind had picked up, making it ever so colder. She began walking briskly again, realizing how close she really was to Yomi's house. Upon reaching it, she scurried up the tree overlooking Yomi's winder and jumped onto the small portion of roof jutting out. It was just big enough for her to stand and move around on. Peering into the window, she spotted Yomi immediately, sitting at her desk doing homework.

'_Homework? On a Friday?'_ Tomo thought, rasping her knuckles against the window. _'And winter break, no less.'_ The brunette looked up, and, with a frown on her face, opened the window. Tomo tumbled in, immediately splattering wet snow everywhere.

"Jeez Tomo!" Yomi muttered irritably. "Can't you just use the door like a normal person for once?" Tomo stopped easing out of her jacket to look at her friend.

"…Since when have I ever been…'normal'?" A smile lit up her face. "Besides, it's lots more fun!" She commented, ending with a loud laugh. Yomi sighed.

"Fine, whatever. Do what you want. I'm not going to keep you entertained." She huffed, throwing up her hands in defeat. Tomo flashed her famous wildcat grin.

"Don't I do that anyways?" A nerve popped on Yomi's head, while she clenched her fists. She turned to Tomo, _**very**_ slowly.

"Just. Shut. Up." She hissed, turning back to her desk, prepared to sit down. But of course, Tomo just had to say something again.

"Ok fatty!" Somewhere in America, the White House blew up. Oprah, who was currently president, was sent flying to Africa, where a bunch of bananas fell upon her, causing rapid monkeys to gather and maul her.

An earthquake tremor sent the Titanic back from it's ocean grave. It flew to the beach, landing and crushing thousands of Oprah fans protesting against rapid monkeys.

Somewhere in Okinawa, thousands of Iriomote cats appeared from nowhere and rose as one, due to a horrible screeching sound. They attacked many tourists and killed mostly all of them. And this was all done from the disturbance from one lit bedroom in the Mizuhara residence.

"….GOD DAMNIT TOMO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR….YOUR…YOUR TOMO-NESS!" Yomi hollered, slapping a hand across her face. She sat there stunned, slowly watching as Yomi turned once again and sat at her desk angrily. Tomo didn't move.

'Damn her, why does she always have to do that?' Yomi growled in thought. Several minutes passed, the only sound the rustling of paper.

"…Yomi…"

"…What…." Yomi muttered, still angry.

"………….."

"...WHAT?!" Yomi yelled, whipping around to face her strangely quiet friend. Tomo sat with her legs curled against her chest. Cold water still clung to her hair, and her lips were ice-chapped, blue against her more-pale-than-usual face. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, and she didn't respond when Yomi threw a pencil at her.

"JESUS TOMO! How long where you out there?" She said sternly, but worried all the same. She walked over to her, sat down next to her, and wrapped her arms around her. It was an attempt to warm her.

"J-j-just maybe and h-hour of t-two." She stammered, leaning against the be speckled girl. A sob escaped her, and she cried against her shoulder. Yomi grabbed a heavy blanket and wrapped it around them, letting her cry on her shoulder.

"God Tomo, you can die like that!" Tomo ignored her.

"Y-Yomi, I'm so-sorry I'm hy-hyper, it's ju-just that-" She was cut off and Yomi hugged her.

"It's ok, your just you. And I'm sorry I slapped you." She murmured. Tomo sobbed some more, and the pair stayed like that for a while, before Yomi pulled away.

"I'm going to get some tea. Stay warm." She commanded, making sure Tomo listened before taking the stairs two at a time. She cut the corner between the kitchen and living room, crashing into her mother and nearly causing her to drop her tray, which carried a pair of tea cups and bowls of ramen.

"Koyomi!" Her mother huffed in surprise, trying to get her heart to return to it's normal rate.

"Eh, sorry mom. Why do you have that, anyways?" She questioned, blinking at her mom.

"What's wrong with a mother trying to feed her daughter? Honestly! I heard Tomo crashing into things up there, and thought I might as well make something. I was up and about anyways." A grin formed on her face as she passed the tray onto her daughter. Yomi took it, blinking thankfully and confusingly.

"Uh, thanks mom. Bye!" She called, dashing up the stairs and nearly tripping. As she got to her room, she quickly shut and locked her door, placing the tray onto of her desk. She turned around, suspicious that she didn't notice Tomo's presence.

"Oh no you don't! Get your butt back in here Takino!" She hissed, finally noticing her; she was attempting to escape out the window. Yomi dragged her back in, shutting and locking the window to prevent further incidents. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She hissed in a hushed tone. Tomo grinned sheepishly and plopped back onto the bed after taking a bowl of ramen. She paused in her eating to answer.

"Uh, trying not to be bothersome?" She commented. Yomi threw her hands into the air in frustration, sighing deeply. Tomo continued to slurp her ramen, adding that much frustration.

"Your bothersome when I have to track you down in cold, middle of the night, as well as you being sick." Yomi plopped down next to her, taking the tray in her hands. "And will you _please_ stop slurping?" She added, handing her a cup of tea. Tomo stuck her tongue out, but to Yomi's surprise, actually listened and finished it with no more then a slight thud as the chopsticks dropped back into the empty bowl. The same with drinking the tea. Blinking in amazement, she hastily grabbed the bowls and cups, replacing them on her desk.

"I'm tired!" Tomo complained, staring at Yomi with wide eyes. Twitching her eye, she replied,

"The snow stopped. You can go home now." Tomo grinned.

"Aww. But it's dark, cold, and lonely. I'm scared that I'll get attacked!" She complained. Just an act.

"If I go with you, will you promise to _shut up_?" Yomi growled. Tomo cracked a wildcat grin. She had her now.

"Sure!" Hopping out of the bed and blanket, she dug through bundles of clothes in her friend's closet. She quickly grabbed some warm clothes, tossing all but a sweater to Yomi; Yomi, surprisingly, caught them all with ease. This wasn't the first time Tomo had done this, and it certainty wasn't the last. With a heavy sigh, she wiggled into the sweats and pulled up her leg warmers to her thighs.

"Fine. Let's go." She muttered, dragging herself out of her room, Tomo in tow.

"Wheeeee!" Tomo shouted, scrambling past Yomi as she hopped down the stairs and ran to the door, already in her jacket. Mrs. Mizuhara looked up in surprise, but there was still a look of amusement in her eyes. Setting down her book, she called after Tomo.

"What? No window? Is the world coming to an end?" She asked in mock exaggeration. Laughing, Tomo replied just as mocking.

"Nope. Too lazy at the moment." She peeked out of the doorway. "Jeez Yomi! You're so slow! The blubber must finally be slowing you down!" Resisting the urge to strangle her, she turned to her mother.

"Why must you urge her on? Anyways, I'm taking Tomo home. She won't leave unless I go with her." She muttered, eye twitching as she followed her out the door. She barely heard her mother telling her stay warm and be careful; Tomo's useless chatter and the thickness of the door prevented it. The pair walked down the street, hands in pockets. It would be silent, if Tomo would shut up.

"-and then, he totally jumped into the air and crashing through the building's window across the street! I mean- YOMI WATCH OUT!"

…Thus ends the first chapter. REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED.

Tomo: Yes, because your life is so horrible anyways.

Yomi: For once, I have to agree with Tomo.

Kitty: ….Love you guys too.

Toyomi: Your very welcome! *Bow* See you in Chapter Two!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey there! I'm back in Chapter Two! SUCCESS!

Disclaimer: Yep, own nothing. I feel so proud of myself!

Tomo:….Nice to know…

Kitty: DON'T MAKE ME GET MR. HAPPY FACE!

Tomo: OH GOD NO! YOMI, SAVE ME! *Clings*

Kitty: That's what I thought.

Last time: _**"-and then, he totally jumped into the air and crashing through the building's window across the street! I mean- YOMI WATCH OUT!"**_

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER TWO: PAINFUL SURPRISES

………………

Yomi, shocked out of her thoughts, screamed. After several moments of nothing happening, she stopped, glancing around with wide eyes.

"W-What?" She shivered, wary.

"Oh….well…. You almost stepped on my foot…." Tomo beamed happily, looking at her with a closed-eye smile, as if she just did something good. If she was a dog, her tail would be wagging like crazy. Eye twitching in aggravation, Yomi bopped Tomo over the head with her fist. Tomo huffed, rubbing her head.

"That wasn't nice!" She complained.

"Neither are you." Yomi snarled. The pair stopped. Tomo was about to respond, when a horrible rock song hit her ears, leaving her frozen in spot, mouth gapping. That music could only mean one thing: The Yukari-mobile.

'_This is your time to pay.'_

"I mean, you always hit me." Yomi complained, unconscious to the sudden background music. Tomo seemed to snap back to life.

"Yomi…." she whispered. Yomi paid no heed to her.

'_This is your judgment day.'_

"Not to mention always calling me names."

'_We made a sacrifice, and now we get to take your life.'_

"Yomi…" Louder, more urgent this time.

"Plus, you NEVER shut up." She continued with a wave of her hand.

'_We shoot without a gun.'_

"Yomi!" A silent scream, louder then her regular voice.

"You cause everyone problems, even when we ask, no _beg_ you to stop."

'_We'll take on anyone.'_

"Yomi, please!" Tomo had never had that much seriousness in her voice. In her life.

'_It's really nothing new, it's just a thing we like to do.'_

"I swear Tomo-"

"YOMI, LOOK OUT!" She screamed, urgency spiking the air.

"_You better get ready to die, get ready to die!'_

"Oh no! I'm not-" Yomi was cut off once again as Tomo plowed into her and knocked her across the street. Yomi opened her eyes to see the Yukari-mobile flash across the street, at about, oh, let's say 500 miles per hour, right where she had been a split second before.

She let out a short breath and closed her eyes when a heavy weight landed on her stomach. She felt something soft press on her lips. It was soft and cold, yet warm at the same time. She blinked open her eyes to see Tomo laying on her, and that it was her lips on hers. A red blush tinted her face before she shoved Tomo off of her, gasping for breath. Tomo let out a high-pitched cry of pain as she rolled over, splitting the night air and lingering for several seconds. Crawling on her knees, Yomi made her way over to a now-sobbing Tomo.

"Come on now, I didn't even hit-" She cut off, thinking of what recently transpired. Like it or not, Tomo had just _kissed_ her, whether is be accidental or not. Another blush covered her face before anger kicked in. Was she crying _because_ she kissed her? "HEY! You know what, I-" She had finally managed to catch sight of Tomo's body. Blood was pulled around her right leg, where it lay mangled and broken.

"Tomo…..are you alright? Did you get hit?" She questioned, worry clear in her voice. Tomo only let out a small whimper. Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Yomi shakingly pulled out a switchblade in her pocket. She sat down next to her on the ground. Grasping Tomo's pant leg tightly, she placed the knife at the bottom cuff. Pausing for a split second, she sliced the fabric cleanly. She gagged at the sight of her leg; it looked like it had been mauled by a bear. She barely recognized it. Another slash cut off a piece of fabric.

"This is going to hurt a tab bit…" She muttered, placing the cloth just above the wound. With a grunt, she tied it tightly to stop the blood loss. Tomo emitted a small whimper. Straightening herself, Yomi let out a soft, yet sharp laugh.

"Ha! Take that world! I managed to fix it without causing any more damage!" She huffed, satisfied. Bending back down, she gently picked up the injured wildcat. "Tomo, your house is closer. I'll carry you there." The only response she received what a choked groan. Pressing her tightly against her, she began the jog to the Takino household. Upon reaching it, she knocked rapidly.

"Alright, ALRIGHT already!" A voice grumped from behind the thick door, before light streamed out onto the porch. "What's all- oh…oh my god.." Mr. Takino muttered, taking in the sight of a blood Tomo and equally bloody Yomi. Mr. Takino was Tomo's only parent. Her mother had left the family when she was just three years old, and never came back. It left her in the care of her burly father, who loved her to no end. Standing at 5' 9", he was heavily muscled and this caused him to work as a car mechanic. It was a decent job that paid well, and he loved it.

Tomo had insisted many times to Yomi that she was glad her mother was gone, and that she hated her. Yomi, being her best friend since forever, knew she was lying. She had caught her several times crying silently at night.

Tomo, now unconscious, let out a small whimper of pain that seemed to snap everyone back to attention. Her father snapped into action.

"Go. Car. Hospital. NOW." He commanded, grabbing his jacket. His past as a war veteran had made him good at giving commands. Yomi nodded, rushing back out of the doorway and into the car, Mr. Takino right behind her. He started the car with ease, skidding into the street in a matter of seconds. Clutching the seat with her life, Yomi held Tomo firmly to the seat.

What took only five minutes seemed like five hours to Yomi as she whisked out of the car and into the Emergency Room. They immediately took her into a room, everything white and clean with that hospital smell. She placed Tomo down, and, insisting she was fine, left to wait with Tomo's father. They sat down at a table, a pair of hot chocolate mugs already there. Mr. Takino took a sip, before looking at Yomi with disbelief and sadness.

"…What happened?" He questioned softly, a voice he rarely used. It was very different from his hearty laugh. The brunette opened her mouth to speak, but he waved her off. "Never mind. Go get cleaned up, we'll talk later." She nodded quickly, glad for some more time to process her thoughts.

Warily stepping into the bathroom, she grabbed several paper towels to clean herself with. She wet them and slowly set to work. The blood came off easily, and within ten minutes, she was finished. She crept back to where Mr. Takino sat. Taking a deep breath, she sat down and set to explaining.

"Well, when she got to my house, she was as cold as death herself. I warmed her with tea, soup, and a blanket. She was back to herself in no time. We left after that; she had insisted that I come and wouldn't take no for an answer." She let out a small laugh, then continued.

"As we were walking down the street, she playing a trick on me, as usual. She yelled at me to watch out. It was just because I almost stepped on her foot. Heh. Anyways, I started blabbing at her, ignoring her. I- it's all my fault…" She cried, shaking her head. "S-she tried to tell m-me, b-but I didn't t-take her se-seriously!"

She took a moment to compose herself, thinking it was better if she didn't mention Yukari…or the kiss. "At the last moment, she pushed me out of the way. She took that blow to her leg when she saved me. I don't know what else is injured. T-that knucklehead…she shouldn't have done that!" she sobbed. Tomo's father walked over to her and held her. She sobbed against his chest. Yomi was like a second daughter to him.

"She would have done it anyways. That's just the way she is. Besides," he added, ruffling her hair. "-if she didn't save you, she would have gone crazy. Yomi nodded against his shirt, closing her eyes.

"C-can you call my mom and tell her where I am?" she muttered, half asleep.

"Sure thing kiddo." He replied. Hours passed, and Yomi found herself in the middle of a black road. Everything was dark, there wasn't a light in sight. Until two headlights appeared at the end of the road. It was a silver Toyota Corolla with multiple dents in it; the same car that had nearly killed her and harmed Tomo. She stumbled backwards, fear piercing her like a thorn. She whimpered as more copies of the same car pulled up, surrounding her. Their engines revved. A soft moan echoed around her.

"_It's all your fault. Guilty! Your fault!"_ The voice repeated that same sorrowful voice.

"I know! Leave me alone! Stop!" Yomi cried, clutching her head and falling to the ground.

"_You must paw for your stupidity! Pay, Pay!" _The voice echoed loudly, before the engines revved again, closing in on her until all was dark…

EPIC CLIFFHANGER~~~

**Welp. That's the end of Chapter 2. VICTORY!**

**Yomi: **Why, oh why did you torment Tomo with Mr. Happy Face?

**Kitty: **I dunno. To get her off my back?

**Yomi: **You'll get yours Kitty, I swear….

**Kitty:** ALRIGHTY THEN. On that note, read and review! See you in chapter 3!

Snow


	3. Chapter 3

Klsadfjlaksdf

_**I'M BACCCCKKK!**_

_**MAJOR DISCLAIMER: **_I realized that I didn't disclaim everything in the last chapter, so here goes: I DON'T OWN THE SONG READY TO DIE. Copyright goes to Andrew W.K. I don't own the Yukari-mobile either. I would love to, but sadly, I do not. Mr. Happy face belongs to SecretAgentBob of Youtube. I own nothing but the title and the story. Wheee.

_**CONFUSION:**_ I had a review that questioned about the American names in Chapter 1. The answer to this is simple. Kyle and Justin are transfer students from America. That's why they are so much bigger than the other kids, equaling bullies. The third guy is Japanese, and just hangs with them not to get hit himself. Clear? Alright then.

_**Kitty:**_ ALRIGHT! ON TO CHAPTER 3!

_**Tomo: **_Yes, by all means.

_**Yomi: **_Trying to scare me and the readers..The hell is wrong with you?

_**Kitty: **_Oooh language Yomi.

_**Yomi: **_OH FUCK YOU *Takes out chainsaw.*

_**Kitty: **_OH SHIT HAVE FUN WITH THE STORY *Runs*

_**CHAPTER 3: I'M SORRY?**_

Last time: _**"You must pay for your stupidity! Pay, Pay!" The voice echoed loudly, before the engines revved again, closing in on her until all was dark…**_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yomi's eyes flickered open to the bright lights of the hospital room.

"-mi. Ms. Koyomi." A nurse next to her called. Yomi quickly got into a sitting position and looked to her.

"Yes?"

"Your friend just woke up. She's going to be just fine. In fact, she just threw up a storm, demanding you come see her immediately!" The nurse confirmed, chuckling. Yomi sighed, and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"That's Tomo for you. All right, what room?" She questioned, getting up.

"15." She mused, before adding, "Go straight down that hall and make a left. First room on the right." She pointed out the way, and Yomi happily complied. It took her only a minute to get there. That was only because she practically flew there. Pausing to catch her breath, she listened in on the shouting coming from inside the room.

"-kino. Just a minute. She was notified, so she should be-" A man's voice. Probably a doctor.

"I DON'T CARE. DRAG HER ASS IN HERE IF YOU HAVE TO!" Yep, defiantly Tomo's room.

Knocking gently, Yomi opened the door and entered silently. Somehow the doctor heard, because he whipped around to look at her.

"ABOUT TI- I mean, thank you for coming." The doctor bowed, looking quite frazzled. Offering a half-smile, she bowed back. The doctor turned and left, rather _ran_ out. Once the others had followed suit, she turned to Tomo.

"Uh. Hey there…" she greeted weakly with a wave of her hand. Tomo grinned, but Yomi could tell it was pained.

"About damn time you got here. I thought you were never going to come and I would have to die alone!" She snorted, flashing her another grin. Yomi grinning weakly in return, finally walking over to her side. Taking off her jacket, she flung it by Tomo's feet and sat down in a chair. Panic surged through her.

"Your not really going to die…..are you?" She squeaked, feeling oh so worse. Tomo noticed her panic, and reaching the her hand that didn't have an IV sticking in it, placed it on her shoulder.

"No. I'm not." She spoke softly. Then she grinned. "Psh. Like a damaged leg and a few broken ribs can kill me!" She shouted laughing, thrusting her arm in the air, only to retreat it back down rather quickly. "Ow…Ow…"

Yomi sighed, shaking her head. Typical Tomo for you. Not a care in the world. "You better not, or I'd have to find your apparitional ass and drag it back here." She mused, grinning widely. Tomo blinked, unsure of what to think of the grin. She shrugged it off grinning herself.

"Oh god, I'm so scared. Kill me now!" They both shared a laugh before they sighed. Yomi glanced at her bandaged leg, and the sight of it sent another wave of guilt washing over her.

"Uh, yeah. So….when do you think you'll be out of here? We only have one more week of vacation left you know." She questioned awkwardly. Tomo nodded.

"Yeah, I know. Doc says I'll be out by Wednesday." Yomi blinked, counting on her fingers.

"That's five day-" Tomo interrupted her.

"No. Four." He be speckled friend looked confused. "You spent the night here. It's already noon Yomi." She clarified. Yomi stood up and ran to the window, pulling the blinds open. Sunlight streamed into the room, blinding Tomo and Yomi both. Quickly covering the window back up, she stumbled backwards.

"Er, the was bright.." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Got your cell? I need to call my mom." Tomo nodded.

"Doc pulled it from my pocket last night." Reaching over to a side table, she grabbed a hold of her blackberry and threw it at Yomi, who caught it with ease. Such was the ability caused by having Tomo as a friend, who would rather throw things than hand.

Flipping the phone open, she dialed her home phone. She would have used hers, but she had left it at him. A dialing tone signaled the call went through, and Yomi stood waiting. Finally her mother picked up.

"Hey mom. It's Koyomi." She said after her mom greeted her. "Just called to-" A panicked voice interrupted her.

"…yes mom, perfectly fine. Just wanted to tell you that I won't be home till later. I'm-" The raspy voice sounded again, this time cool and collective, someone accusing.

"NO mother, I'm not with any guys. I'm-" Relief.

"Yes, but-" Yomi was starting to get really annoyed.

"Alright, I promise. I never was. I'm-" Pleading.

"MOTHER WILL YOU LISTEN?!" Silence.

'_Well, that worked…'_ Thought Tomo with a sigh. Yomi glanced at her questionly, then shrugged it off.

"Thank you mother. As I was saying, I'm at the hospital with Tomo, remember?" A pause then, " Mhm. No guys, just Tomo. Promise." Another pause, then a smile. "Alright, I'll tell her. Bye." She nodded. "Love you too." With a flick, she snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Tomo.

"Well, that was crazy. So?" she asked, staring at her friend. She replaced the phone on the table.

"She said that I could stay as long as I wanted, and tell you she said to get better." Tomo nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

"Hear her loud and clear." An uneasy silence followed. Yomi glanced around the room. Suddenly there seemed to be many silver-colored objects….

"I'm sorry!" They both blurted out at the same time. There was no laughter however, just more awkward silence, which Yomi eventually broke.

"Uh…how about you go first?" The wildcat paled, then gulped and nodded.

"S-sure." Taking a moment to compose herself, she began. "I'm sorry I tackled you and possibly harmed you. I saw the car coming and panicked. You were off in your own little world, and I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I just did the first thing that came to mind."

"When I saw you, just standing there when the car almost hit you, time froze. I thought you were going to die. I- I- I-" She cut off, tears streaming down her face. The brunette quickly moved over to her and hugged her gently, careful to make sure she didn't squeeze any ribs, should she touch a broken one. Tomo wrapped her arms about her in return, the best she could and sobbed into her chest. They stayed like that for several moments, before Tomo drew in a deep shuddering breath and calmed down, breaking off the hug.

"Heh. Thanks, I needed that." Yomi shrugged, glancing away and sitting down in the chair. Tomo blinked, frowning, then announced, "Hey, your turn now." Yomi blanched, turning back to Tomo slowly. She froze then composed herself.

"Your right." Pausing to let out a small sigh, she glanced at the covered window. If only she could fly through it. Turning back to her raven-haired friend, she began.

"Well, I'm sorry for a lot of things. Hitting you, yelling at you, ignoring you…" she sucked in a deep breath to calm her frazzled mind. "That's how it all started. I was stupid, ignoring you like that. "Tomo opened her mouth to say something, but Yomi waved her off. "No, it's alright. No need to stick up for me. Anyways, I'm also sorry for pushing you off of me and causing you pain." Twiddling her thumbs, she looked to the floor. "I think that's about it. I miss anything?" Tomo grinned, lightening the mood.

"Nope. I think that's it. All forgiven?" They nodded. "Then alright then. No more need for sadness." She laughed, tilting her head back. Yomi smiled. Typical Tomo. No one could stay sad for long with her around. Her smile soon wavered though. How exactly was she going to tell Tomo what happened?

Speaking of the wildcat. While Yomi was frantically thinking, she had pulled out a book from one of the small drawers next to her and was reading it. Her father had brought it during the middle of the night.

Wait, WHAT? *Record scratch* Let's see. Tomo + Book = WTF? Oh wait. It's Lupin III. Alright, almost gave myself a heart attack.

Anyways, while was flipping through pages and I spazzed out, Yomi had finally collected her thoughts and came to a conclusion: she had to tell her. Not once in their entire friendship had they kept secrets from each other, and Yomi wasn't the one going to start.

"Tomo?" She called softly, gulping. Not even looking up from her book, the shorter girl replied.

"Hmmm?"

"Well, uh, before I pushed you off, something happened." Yomi tried to calm her nerves by pressing her pointer fingertips together. It didn't work.

"Oh really?" She questioned, not really paying attention.

"Y-yeah. How should I put this? Well, basically, you kinda…kissed me…lip-style…" She stammered, blushing red.

"Oh. Well, that's nice…wait…" At that second, the world seemed to freeze as one of her most prized possessions slipped from her hands and fell to the floor with a thud. Her face flickered, a face Tomo, _no one_, had ever made before. It included all the emotions at once; Disbelief at what she said. Panic of what Yomi thought. "I WHAT?!" She shrieked. Several nurses passing by glanced into the room to see if she was alright; seeing that she was, they carried on what they were doing.

Tomo clasped a hand over her mouth, trying to cover up the outburst. "Your serious?" Yomi nodded, her blush turning crimson from embarrassment. That, and the fact that the nurses stared at her before leaving.

The wildcat buried her face in her hands, groaning. From what the taller girl could understand, she said something like, 'Oh my god'. Moving over to her, she hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Er…it's alright…" She mumbled. Tomo shrugged her hand off.

"No. It's not. I fricken _**KISSED**_ you. Friends don't do that. They save each other's lives without problems. They don't end up hurting themselves and the other person and then kissing them on top of that." Tears streamed down her face when she eventually looked up. "I'm not a very good friend. I hurt Chiyo-chan all the time and make fun of the rest. I hurt _you_ Yomi. I can't- I..I…I can't…" She broke down with a heavy sob. Yomi wanted to comfort her, to tell her she was lying, but Tomo wouldn't allow it.

She shook her head. "Please leave Yomi. I need to think…." She murmured, gripping the bed sheets tightly in his fists.

Yomi stood there, shocked. Not once had Tomo ever told her to leave before. Only she had, when Tomo had decided to stay in her room and never leave. "But-"

"Please…" Tomo begged with pleading eyes. Silently, Yomi nodded and retrieved her thick jacket from the bed. With one last look at Tomo, she exited the hospital.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**WHEEE! ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CHAPTER!**_

_**Kitty:**_ Meep. Look at that. So sad.

_**Toyomi:**_ *Glares*

_**Kitty: **_….He..hehe..Sorry guys, it's not a romance without drama…

_**Toyomi:**_ THIS IS A ROMANCE FAN FIC????

_**Kitty:**_ …..Duh..*Sweat drop* Anyways, I'm not getting very many reads and reviews! IF YOU READ IT, PLEASE REVIEW. TELL YOUR FRIENDS. OR ELSE THERE MIGHT NOT BE ANOTHER STORY.

_**Toyomi:**_ …WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. WE WANNA SEE HOW IT ENDS!

_**Kitty:**_ What they said. Also, check out my profile and vote it the poll. Every vote counts. Also, check out my profile to see future stories and story info! Ciao!

Kitty~


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: Ooo Secrets and Traps.**_

_Last time:__"Please" Tomo asked with pleading eyes. Silently, Yomi nodded and retrieved her jacket, still resting on the bed. With one last look behind her, she left...._

* * *

Blinking in the bright sunlight, Yomi suddenly felt as if it were still yesterday, before any of this had ever happened. Sighing deeply, she wiped away stray tears that still clung to her face.

"Damn Yukari. I hope her car explodes." She muttered darkly, pulling her hood over her head.

An explosion, followed by a string of profanity, erupted from an apartment on the far west side of (wherever they live. I'ma say Tokyo.) A sneeze interrupted the yelling. A young woman, fit with brown curls, appeared screaming out of the apartment, standing in front of a burnt car. "WHO THE HELL IS TALKING ABOUT ME? DAMNIT, YOU BLEW UP MY CAR!" She shouted to the sky.

And then everyone who had encountered the young woman, named Yukari Tanizaki, sneezed in synch. I mean to say, about 9/10ths of Japan it's self.

Now we go back to Yomi. Kicking a rock absent-mindedly, she was surprised when she heard a series of crashes and a clanking thud. Curious, the brunette peeked inside an abandoned warehouse the bottle rolled into. She was unsurprised at the mound of scattered cans, but she couldn't hold back a gasp when she saw the bottle pressing against a red button.

Somewhat hesitantly, she pressed it. A groaning of something creaking was heard, but Yomi didn't see anything different. Or so she thought. Cautiously, she pressed the button again, jumping high when she heard another metallic groan next to her. Turning, she nearly had a heart attack when a ladder dropped down next to her. Taking a gulp, she scampered up it, peeking over the edge. Seeing nothing amiss, she crawled over the edge and took a step forward…only to activate something. Unknowingly, she stepped on a thin wire, triggering something closely related to the Malay Man Catcher Trap, only this time with a knife. (Seriously, you people are lazy :D Look it up.) She barely dodged in time; her breath came out in short, jagged gasps.

"What…the…hell? Is there like, a king buried somewhere past here or something?" She grimaced, breathing deeply to calm herself. She leaned on a wall. Bad idea. The ground below her split open to reveal a Burmese Tiger Pit. She leapt into the doorway she now noticed, once again, barely escaping death. Looking back at the killer traps, she sat down.

"God damn, is this a warehouse or military training camp?" she muttered, standing after a moment. "No time to waste. This has gotten me more curious." Now, boys and girls, is this the right answer? No, but hell, let's go with it anyways. Searching around, she spotted a narrow piece of wood, thick and sturdy, extending out of the doorway she had sat in. It seemed to extend forever from her vantage point.

Hesitantly, she stepped on the board. It supported her weight. Honestly, she really isn't fat, but let's not start. With a sigh, Yomi walked out onto the board and began the trek to the end. "Jesus, is this the Nile without the water or some shit?" True, the path was going on forever, with no signs of it ever stopping. It seemed as if hours had passed, yet it only had been a few minutes. Finally, _finally_ she spotted a building in the distance. Picking up the pace, she broke into a quick jog, only to cry out in surprise as the board abruptly stopped, leaving the innocent bystander to fall to their deaths. A big gap stood between the glasses-bearing girl and her goal; a much wider board that led into the building.

"…OH WHAT THE FUCK!?" She screamed, face palming. "Is this really necessary?" She sighed, wiping her hands over her face in exasperation. She took several giant steps back, ran forward, and jumped the gorge of death. She grasped the edge and dangled for a moment before pulling herself up and collapsing on the ground, panting heavily.

"That's it, no more. I feel like Chiyo-Chan after a 10k marathon." She grumbled, shakingly getting to her feet.

In her own cozy house, snug in her beg, Chiyo sneezed, shrugged, and closed her eyes.

Back to killer traps. The board was large enough for Yomi to walk with ease, and within seconds, she was standing in front of a giant door. Surprisingly, it took very little strength to open the giant metal monster, and even more of a jaw-dropper, no traps.

Suddenly, a small pop echoed against the steel walls and a small piece of paper drifted in front of Yomi, who snatched it.

'_You made it? Miracle. Anyways, congrats and all that. No more traps, promise!'_

_ -Tomo_

_**P.S.**__ DON'T MESS ANYTHING UP STRANGER._

Yomi blinked in confusion. "To…mo? Wait, oh god, Tomo did this? Where did she find time to do this, or even a brain? More importantly, there's bound to be another trap somewhere, since it's that numbnut." Sure enough, as the tall girl took a single step forward, a freaking knife sailed out of nowhere and whizzed past her head. Having anticipated everything and anything, she had ducked to the ground.

A second piece of paper floated to the ground in front of her; she picked it up and she stood.

_'I lied, that was the last trap. Enjoy. Hope I don't catch your sorry ass here; the traps were placed for a reason!'_

_ -Tomo_

Yomi sighed. Of course. Looking around, she was shocked. The wildcat had obviously put some thought into decorating. Every wall was plastered in various rock band posters; Skillet, Korn, Tool, Disturbed, Three Day's Grace, Linkin Park. Several anime posters were tacked up as well; Kampfer, Rosario Vampire, Fullmetal Alchemist. The walls themselves looked freshly painted, red in color.

Several soft-looking chairs were scattered about, next to small tables or alone by themselves.

A single chair stood out from the rest; bigger and by far the best looking, in both comfort and style. A thick black cushion sat on it's red frame; a red lace circled it.

Next to the chair itself stood a golden lamp the height of Yomi herself. Upon flicking the switch, a soft yellow glow filled the room; apparently electricity worked in here. The brunette mumbled something, then flicked the switch again.

On the other side of the chair was a small table, equal to the armrests of the chair in height. On top lay a small green book, the words 'Tomo's Journal' on it with gold letters.

Silence, then, "…TOMO HAS A JOURNAL?" Yomi nearly shrieked, managing to keep her voice volume to a soft squeak. She picked it up and flipped through it. Some of the entries dated before Elementary School, written in illegible print. She stopped at the newest entry, dated the day before the accident. She knew she shouldn't read it; the first sentences clarified that for her.

_**'I tried hard to keep this Journal secret. It worked so far; I hope it stays that way.'**_It was almost enough to make the brunette stop. Almost.

'Might as well keep going, I made it this far..' Were her thoughts as she moved to the next line.

_**'I'm scared. Mommy sent me another letter the other day. She –.'**_ Yomi nearly laughed at 'Mommy', but gawked at something in particular. Wait, mom? Tomo and her mother had been out of contact forever ago, when the young wildcat was only five. Yomi had been there with her, and experienced everything.

The woman had been cruel, abusive, and demanded. Mr. Takino had finally gotten rid of her when she backhanded Tomo for stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. Not lightly either. She had used enough force to nearly crack the poor girl's jaw.

So why was she sending letters? It confused the glasses' bearing girl greatly, but she brushed it off for another day. Maybe Tomo had a reason to keep it from her.

_**'- told me that I don't have any friends, that they are all faking it and don't know how to tell me. I started thinking about that, and now I think she could be right. All I do is hit and torment Chiyo-chan, make fun of the rest, and cause trouble for everyone. I make fun of, no, torture is a better word, Yomi all the time, and she's supposed to be my best friend. I call her fat, but she really isn't. She's perfectly fine. I've seen her without a shirt on; I should know. It was an accident, I swear! I was going through the window, and didn't know she was getting dressed. I covered my eyes!'**_

Yomi laughed, blushing a bit. She continued.

_**'But if my mom IS right, and she probably is, then that means Yomi really isn't my friend either. And I just can't take that. Without her, I'm alone. That day on the playground we met, I dunno, but I just wanted to help her. Like some weird connection. If I hadn't done that that day, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I'd be silent, and alone. Hell, I might even go to the same school, only cuz I'm actually smart. I'd probably be strong, tough, and fast as well, but still have no friends. Heh. I really hope my mom's wrong. I can't live without Yomi. It's too hard to-.'**_

Yomi stopped reading after that, wiping away the tears that poured down her face. Tomo was hiding all this from her? It was too much; Yomi couldn't go on. That, and the fact that she had some decency to stop.

Shutting the book softly, she put it back and sunk into the big chair. Suddenly, it was more comfortable than before. Closing her eyes sleepily, Yomi let out a single yawn and drifted into an uneasy and restless sleep.

* * *

ALRIGHT GUYS~

Merry Christmas you people you.

Think of this as a Christmas present; I told myself that I would type this or release a snake in my shirt. Where I would've got the snake….

BUT ANYWAYS, I wanted to make a little Christmas present to my loyal readers out there.

I apologize if it is horrible, but hey, I tried to please?

So, Merry Christmas you writers you, and happy New Year's~

_**SEE YOU ALL IN THE BIG 2010~**_

Psssttt by the way, check out my profile :D Oh and, this is part crackfic now if you hadn't noticed. The whole, serious thing wasn't working my motivation. Hope you don't mind D:

~Tatsuo


	5. Chapter 5 Fin!

_**Chapter 5: Snow **_

_DISCLAIMER: __Dun own Azumanga Daioh, the characters, or the warehouse. If only. And though me and my friend jokingly named Apple Juice bottles 'Rock*Star Juice' long before the energy drink came out, Rock*Star company owns the title ;~;_

_Last time on Snow: 'Closing her eyes sleepily, Yomi let out a single yawn and drifted into an uneasy and restless sleep…._

Seemingly only moments after she shut her eyes, Yomi woke up and rubbed sleep out of her eyes. An evening sunset was setting, she realized with a start, leaping out of the chair that put her to sleep. She scrambled around, flashing from place to place, trying to remember where she was and find a way out. Moving towards a huge garage-like door, she lifted it and gasped.

A snowy wonderland lay out in front of her; huge pine trees were glazed with snow as if painted, the ground covered in the wet substance. A small pond sat frozen in the middle. Several varieties of plants were crystallized everywhere, dead and capped with ice.

Yomi stared at the breathtaking sight, She knew that in summer, when everything was in bloom, it would look beautiful just had it did now. The thought almost made her cry. Almost.

Tearing her gaze away, quite forcibly, she retreated into the warehouse. For the first time, she noticed it was warm.

"Geez, it has central heating too? What the hell doesn't it have?" She groaned. Her stomach rumpled, stopping her from pressing the subject further. "Now that I think about it, I haven't really eaten or drunk anything all day…" She grumbled, looking around. "Gee, is a refrigerator the only thing this place is missing?" She muttered sarcastically. As if on cue to prove her wrong, she spotted one a few feet from where she stood, positioned against a wall.

Sighing, she walked over and opened it. Stacked full of several varieties of food and drink, Yomi gawked in disbelief when she noticed healthy food amiss the junk food.

'_Maybe Tomo had planned on bringing me here eventually, until her rotten mother told her she had no friends…' _She thought with a frown., making herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After putting everything back, she took out an apple and bottle of juice that looked strangely like apple juice. Except the label read 'Rockstar Juice'.

Blinking, the brunette unscrewed the cap and took a sip to sample it, only to pull away with a snarl. "It IS apple juice. Why the hell is it not called it then?" She grumbled, turning the bottle to read the back. A picture of a head banger was shown, next to a quote reading, '_The official drink of Rockstars!'_

Yomi sighed, ripping her teeth into her sandwich and washing it down with the drink. Typical Tomo.

After finishing her small meal and taking a quick stop at the bathroom, conveniently located in a small corner, she relocated the exit and dragged herself back to the first warehouse.

'_Is this place invisible or something? I've never seen it before, and I don't think anyone else has either.'_ Glancing around, Yomi got her answer. The whole place was surrounded by thousands of trees that reached high in the sky.

Another thing surprised her, when, as she was walking through the first warehouse doorway, that no traps sprung up to attack her.

"Must be a one way thing…" She muttered, stacking the cans back where she found them to conceal the button.

The brunette broke into a quick job as she left. She wasn't going to mention this to her mom; it would make Tomo's trust in her plummet even more.

Skidding to a stop outside her front door, she took a moment to catch her breath before entering and hollering.

"I'm home!" She kicked off her shoes, walking up the small steps that led to her living room. Her mom was waiting to lecture her already.

"Where have you been young lady? I called Takino and she said you left!" She scolded, wagging her finger. Such was the protection she was coated in after her father died in a train wreck when she was young.

She lied, saying she had fallen asleep in the park. After getting the whole, 'there are rapist's and other criminal's out there' speech, Yomi was finally allowed access to her room.

Collapsing onto her bed, the girl groaned. Why didn't this all have to happen to her, and not to some other poor girl in another dimension? She sighed, closing her eyes and falling asleep yet again.

Days passed. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Tomo never called for Yomi, Yomi never came. Wednesday. The day of Tomo's release. My. Takino had called the brunette to invite her to pick the wildcat up, but she politely declined. She still had to think. Retreating back to her bed, where she had spent most of her time, she stared at the white ceiling and began to think again.

'WHEE! SWEET FREEDOM!" Tomo shouted, leaping down the hospital steps and crawling into her dad's car.

"Careful, you don't wanna hurt yourself and end back up in there." Her father mused, getting in and starting the car. The wildcat's leg has finally starting to heal over, new skin encasing over the damaged areas. She could have to keep gauze on for a long time more, then put a protective cat over it every night.

As for her ribs, they were mostly healed. Turns out, none had fractures and they were easily broken back into place. She would have to keep a chest plate on for a bit, but that wasn't too bad.

"Mmm." Came her reply from the backseat, as the clink of a seatbelt followed. She turned and stared out the window, watching cars rush past. Her father glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

"Something wrong?" He questioned softly. The wounded wildcat shook her head, and he let the subject drop.

The rest of the ride was silent, the only sound being the sound of occasional cars passing by.

As Mr. Takino shifted the car into park, Tomo nearly fell out of the car as she jumped out and ran up the stairs, pausing barely long enough to slip out of her shoes.

"Where are you going?" Her father called, shutting his door lightly and taking his time of slipping out of his shoes.

"Room!" She replied with a holler, slamming her door shut and making her father cringe at the cracking sound.

Tomo flopped onto her bed, a small sigh escaping her lips. The wildcat's back, so where's the roar?

"Roar." She muttered, chuckling quietly. Despite herself, she got to her feet and walked back downstairs where he father was just finishing getting his shoes off. She slipped on her shoes and moved past him.

"Where are you going now?" He sighed, facing her.

"A walk." She replied, suddenly knowing exactly where she was going.

"….A walk?" Her father called lightly after her, disbelief flooding his face. When she nodded, he simply faked a smile and left, afraid his daughter had gone insane. A door slammed, and Tomo was gone.

White. Black. White. Black. Wh-

"Oh for the love of God." Yomi groaned, exasperated, and she stopped blinking. Getting up, she stretched. She had been laying on her bed for what seemed like forever. Slipping on some clothes that had a slight brown stain on it, -she honestly hoped it was just curry sauce-, she left the house for the first time since her last hospital visit. The moment she stepped foot outside, she breathed in deeply, inhaling slightly toxic air that the world had created.

The sun was bright, and the day cold, but her thick black jacket kept the warm in. She walked the path she had follwed days before, pausing every so often to adjust something. Maybe she could go to finish her friend's dia - journal. She didn't have any pride left anyways. Or perhaps just go the place that felt so…Tomo.

Reaching her destination, she knelt, her arm snaking behind the stacked cans to lightly tap the button. The brunette sighed inwardly, climbing the ladder and side-stepping traps that were obviously designed to kill people. Today, today would be a long day.

Away from the warehouse, a distressed Tomo sat down on a nearby bench, grimacing. Thoughts flooded her, bothering her until she thought she WAS going insane. Once again, she was reminded of the hospital days; why _didn't _she just smile and wave Yomi off when she told her what happened? Just laugh, and go on with her day? But no. She had blushed and gotten all pissy. And for what?

Holding her aching head, the pale girl sighed. She pushed herself off the freezing bench and walked away, some part of her subconscious wondering if her bottom now had frostbite. She glanced upwards; the sun was gone, covered by dark gray clouds, causing the air to drop down significantly. As she pulled her jacket closer to her skinny frame, face ducking down into the warm cotton, she repeated her questions in her mind. Why had she _panicked?_ It wasn't _her._

Stressing wasn't helping her newly developed headache. Pushing her thoughts aside, at least for the moment, the bruised wildcat pulled out some change and deposited it in a nearby soda machine, waiting for the 'clink' that signaled her Dr. Pepper had dropped. She took a sip, hesitantly. After so long without a can of the carbonated drink, the taste shot at her taste buds, shocking them. Swallowing quickly, the girl drank again, this time more slowly. Once her mouth was once again used to the taste, she walked away, thoughts tickling her brain, reaching out with claws to clash at her sanity. She sorted them out, putting the higher priorities first; her friendship with Yomi, her injuries, the weather.

Already she was feeling better; the soda calmed her down whenever she needed it, and it didn't fail her now. And now that she was calm, she could think. Her friendship with a certain brunette. It had started because she had needed the Wildcat, and she happily complied, that day in Kindergarten. Of course, the taller girl had helped Tomo out herself, on several occasions. There was that day Tomo got lost, way back in 2nd grade. Yomi, running out in the rain, had gone to look for her. She eventually found the drenched girl, hidden up in a tree. How she had gotten up there, she couldn't recall. It had been a tall tree. Then there was all those years of helping her out in fights; Tomo was, in fact, hated by several gang members for various reasons. Stealing, taunting, and just annoying the hell out of them were just some of the reasons.

But then, Tomo had helped Yomi as well. Saving her from the Yukari-mobile was such an example. So, they were officially even, on some sort of level. And yet something else was tugging at the outer walls of her mind; when had they become so…attached to the hip? They had an unbreakable friendship; Tomo was like a dog, always coming back no matter what 'master' did, and Yomi always helped Tomo, no matter what she did.

The same thought ripped apart her unconscious, drilling a hole into her mind; there was a reason they were so close. And it had finally made itself clear. Her mom was wrong, oh how wrong she was.

Ditching her half-empty can in a random garbage bin, she fled, legs pumping as if she was escaping rabid dogs. She ran faster than she did at school, yet slow, aware of any too-jarred movements could split her leg open like a egg. Running was a no-no, but she was desperate to get to her hide-away, her sanity.

Around her, the wind hastily picked up, blowing the wildcat's hair in odd directions. She stumbled, tripping over a stray garbage can that had been blown from the suddenly fierce wind. She caught herself, just in time for her not to crack her knee open. The warehouse in sight, Tomo slowed, breathing heavily. Not only had she not been used to running, but she had ran far. And too fast. She bent over, sucking in air greedily before gushing it out just as fast.

Once she was finally able to see straight, and breath normally, she pushed a hidden button Yomi had been oblivious to; it was kept safe, under a loose floor panel. When Tomo thought, she was good. All traps deactivated, and Tomo ran up the ladder, figuratively, and ran the course of the walkway, heeding the edges. She was almost there.

Somewhere along the dreadfully slow-paced walk, Yomi felt the sudden urge to grasp the flooring. And, being superstitious, she did, just as a large gust of wind blew over her, nearly sending her toppling over the edge.

"What the hell?" She screamed, her voice nearly lost in the wind. Only after the wind had died down did Yomi jump up and dash for the doors, glaring at the outside air as if it purposely tried to kill her. "Damn wind." She muttered, coming to a stop and pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. The warm silence of the hide-out greeted her like an old friend when she gently pushed the doors open, and the brunette sighed with glee at the sudden warmth that wrapped around her, holding her and refusing to let go.

It was dark, but she didn't turn on the light. She knew her way around, her photographic memory helping her for once. Trailing down to the chair with a certain black journal on it, she tripped, only once, on a stick. Scowling, she picked it up to throw out when she heard a sharp noise, like something crashed into the metal doors. Now using the stick as a weapon, Yomi growled, calling out a hasty, "Who's there?", before making her way back up the ramp to strike the intruder if it was an enemy.

Stumbling, the small girl came to a sudden halt, just inches away from the door. Struggling to keep her breath in check, she called out, shaky and unsure. "H-hello?" Huffing out a held breath, she slowly pushed the door open, glancing this way and that, completely unaware Yomi was mere inches away from her. Probing, her slender hand came to rest on the light switch, and, with a gulp, she flipped it. Eyes immediately blacked, unused to the sudden light. Once the blackness faded away, she whipped her head in the direction she heard the voice.

"…Y-Yomi?" She stammered, blinking and raising up out of a defensive position she hadn't even known she took.

The taller girl paused; she was on her way to lunge at the intruder, when she heard Tomo's voice. Pulling back, Yomi gaped. "T-Tomo? What are you doing here?" She questioned, dropping the stick onto the ground and staring at the slender girl. She grinned, but Yomi could tell it looked forced.

"Hiya Yomi. I could ask the same." She retorted, stepping up to the brunette, too short to look her in the eye, but strong-willed enough to intimidate someone none-the-less.

"Uh. Well." Unable to think of a good lie, the glasses girl sighed heavily. "I found this place completely by accident, and just explored. It's a nice place." She commented, albeit dryly. "…" She paused, then continued bluntly. "I read your journal."

Silence. Tomo looked up at Yomi, a distant look playing at her iris's. It masked hurt, slight anger, not to mention disbelief, but Yomi was her friend, for what? How long? And she could see it hidden in her eyes. "Sorry." She muttered, having the decency to look away.

Tomo sighed, shaking her head lightly. Pushing past her friend, she gently picked up the black book and flipped through it. "Just the last bit, didn't you?" she whispered. At Yomi's nod, Tomo softly tossed the book back on the chair, watching it bounce back up before returning to it's natural position. Another sigh escaped her, and she turned back to the brunette. "I suppose it's alright. I think I was going to show you eventually."

Yomi grunted silently, playing at her bottom lip with her teeth. As if she was contemplating something. She groaned, scratching her arm lightly. "Tomo, about the hospital - " She was cut off as Tomo stepped forward and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Forget about it. The past is the past." She said sternly, a new for her, to which Yomi happily complied. "Come here." She asked in a commanding tone, grasping the tall girl's wrist in a firm, but gentle grip. Yomi followed, a confused look plastered on her face. The small wildcat dragged her outside, dark cloud still floating high above their heads.

"Tomo?" her friend questioned, glancing upward at the dark sky. Tomo snickered, spinning on her good leg and looking up at Yomi, releasing her hand to cross against her chest. Now that they were outside, it was cold yet again. "Uh. What-?"

Tomo cut her off, a finger daintily pressed against her lips as an effect silence. "You want to say something. I can see it your posture." She mused, her voice nearly a whisper. With a simple nod, Yomi blinked. "Your mother's wrong, Tomo. You - " Tomo laughed lightly, a small grin pulling at the corners of her lips.

"I know. It took me a while to figure it out, but I did." At the brunette's blank stare, she laughed again. "Forget it."

Yomi blinked. What was up with Tomo? She was confusing her greatly. What with the anger, then the sad, then the happy and what not. "Uh." She stammered, scratching her forehead in confusion. "Are you sure you're alright, Tomo? You're acting weird." She muttered, blunt and to the point.

To which Tomo just laughed again. Flicking her friend in the head, Yomi said. The wildcat frowned, rubbing the now sore spot between her eyes. "What was the for?" She grumbled, a small, toothy grin on her face. Seeing no choice, a smile appeared on the tall girl's face as well; there was really no helping it, because when Tomo smiled, the world smiled back. And just when things were calming down…

"You know, I love you." Tomo whispered, grasping onto Yomi's shoulders like a crutch.

"Of course you do. I do - wait, what?" Yomi frowned, confused once again. "What on earth -" She was cut off as the wildcat rose up on her tiptoes, leaning in and planting her lips warmly against her best friend's. Yomi, for the first time that day, was sure of something; this wasn't an accident. Tomo was fully aware of what she was doing.

And Yomi was sure of something else, in her shocked state; she didn't want Tomo to stop. And when she finally did, so they didn't suffocate, her brain produced a whimper, pulsing it up her throat and out of her mouth. Tomo chuckled, falling back onto the heels of her feet.

"Friends don't kiss friends." Was all she said, a quote from long ago, confidence, and playfulness sparking in her chestnut colored-eyes. Yomi paused for a second, glaring down at the smaller girl, fire burning in her almond eyes.

The clouds above broke, sending a shower of white and fluffy snow upon them. "Then I guess we aren't friends anymore." She smirked, grasping the smaller girl's face in her long-since frozen hands, and pulling her into another kiss. Their lips touched, just as the new snow touched the ground, as if covering the world anew.

And Snow did just that.

_**FIN**_

**A/N: Oh. My. GOD. IT'S OVER. After like a year (eight months) since the last update, and a YEAR AND TWO MONTHS since it first came out, I FINISHED IT! I'm sorry it took so long; I lost motivation, and got lazy, but I got it back recently, and finished typing!**

**You can probably sense the change in my writing style about halfway through. I typed up half, then forgot about it, returning recently to finish it up. Sorry it took so long! But, I wanna thank every single one of you that read and reviewed since the beginning. THANK'S YOU MOTHER FUCKING ANGELS:**

_ZaXo Ken'Ichi_

_Watanagashi-hen_

_Anonymous (James Birdsong)_

_Zokusho_

_Fraietor_

_Breanne St._

_THIRD-IMPACT-end-of-humanity_

_Anonymous (Kaorin)_

_AnimeCrazy195_

_DOGHERO1925_

_Chiyo And Osaka Fan_

_Ilazy_

**Thanks so much guys! I looked through all of your reviews, and they made me smile. So thanks, and that concludes the end of Snow!**

**-Kitty, OUT~**


End file.
